Triplectides flintorum Holzenthal 1988

Triplectides flintorum Holzenthal

Triplectides flintorum Holzenthal, 1988a:193–195.

Triplectides gracilis (Burmeister).—Mosely, 1936:96 [in part, material from Central and northern South America].

This species was recently erected for the species in Central and northern South America, which had been confused with the Brazilian T. gracilis (Burmeister). T. flintorum ranges from Mexico to Ecuador, and east into Venezuela, at least. Its larvae were figured by Correa et al. (1981) as Triplectides sp., and the Triplectides sp. of Botosaneanu and Flint (1982) is almost assuredly this species also.

MATERIAL.—COLOMBIA. DPTO. ANTIOQUIA: Quebrada La Iguaná, 17 km NW Medellín [road to San Jerónimo], 14–15 Feb 1983, O.S. Flint, Jr., 2. Quebrada Honda, Marsella [12 km SW Fredonia], 1450 m, 22 Feb 1983, O.S. Flint, Jr., 1. Quebrada La Cebolla, El Retiro (trap A), 3 Jul 1983, U. Matthias, 1; 21 Mar 1984, 1. Venecia, Jul 1943, Gallego, 1 (UNCM). Piedras Blancas, 10 km E Medellín [road to Guarne], Sept 1955, N. Delgado, 1 (UNCM). Jardín, Feb 1980, R. Vélez, 1 (UNCM).

This genus was recently created for a group of species known from northern and western South America (Venezuela west to Colombia and south to Bolivia) and the Lesser Antilles. Of the eleven species placed in the genus, six are known only from Colombia, four of these from Antioquia.

The larva and pupa of the Antillean species have been described (Flint, 1968b; Holzenthal, 1986a). These larvae were found in the benthos of a sandy-bottomed, mountain stream less than a meter in width. The adults have all been swept from vegetation beside streams of this nature.